Dear Editor,
As Covid-19 is loosening its grip and the narrative is losing its power and the lies of it all are coming to light,
“The Establishment” needs another scenario to keep us in fear. To have a people you can control you need a people that is fearful. Why fear? Fear paralyzes one, it distorts your thinking and makes you obedient and dependent. Fear is the first emotion humankind was faced with and was aware of, so it is deeply rooted within us.
So up next is the possibility of war where many nations will be involved. Isn't it ironic how these events know exactly when one stops, so that the other can commence? The world has an opinion on Russia and most of it is negative and who can blame them. If the story that you are presented with is one-sided and all the images you are seeing come from the same source, then you will have a distorted opinion. If the media apparatus is in the hands of the USA, then they decide who is the good guy and who is the bad guy, and with their opinion the world blindly follows. The world follows because there are interests at play, and if anyone disagrees with the great USA, they might get sanctioned; more on that later.
This is the same country (USA) that condemns war. Same country that since its existence of almost 250 years has been at war over 220 years of that period. Having said that, I do not think they are in any position to condemn anyone about waging war. Nor comment on the sizes of the army of the respective countries and calling Russia the bully. Your military budget of almost $ 800 Billion a year is more than the next 10 countries combined that are in the top-10 list of greatest budgets of military spending. Since your army has always been the biggest it is safe to say that you have always been the bully, considering all the countries you have invaded and destroyed.
To every action there is a reaction and people must at least look at the whole story before they voice their opinions, but you see doing that takes effort and more importantly, it might challenge your belief system and people are not always ready for that.
Now I would like to get to the word that is used in the heading, “Sanctions.” You see when you do not do as the big bad wolf says, they sanction you. Simply meaning your way of life stops. The papers are full of companies that are pulling out of Russia and businesses that are cancelling their transactions with the country because if they do not, they might face sanctions from the biggest army and consumer in the world. And if the biggest consumer in the world stops buying your products, then that will hurt you financially. So, what do you do? You listen!
It would be the same as America telling St. Maarten to agree with them on something and if they do not then the cruise ships and all the planes will stop coming. Should you not agree then they will come up with some story on CNN that we have some disease here on the island and that it is unsafe to come on vacation here. What would the choice be that St. Maarten will make? We all know the answer to that question.
For all those that applaud these kinds of actions I would like to say this; there will come a time when the biggest sanction off all time shall take place. And this sanction will be geared to all humanity. And just like all sanctions what it will do is attack directly your way of life; in fact, your survival will depend on it. And just like all sanctions, your obeying one person will automatically mean that you are directly disobeying the other person and vice versa. This sanction will impose on you with indirect force. Why indirect force? Simply put, if you do not obey what they want you to do, you simply will not be able to buy food, not for you, not for your children, not for anyone that is dear to you!
So, before you applaud sanctions being put on a whole country, remember our time will come when sanctions will be put on all of us. COVID-19 was the test run to test our obedience and for most part we passed this test with flying colours.
In closing, another form of conditioning has started and that is that if you do not agree with your government, they can affect your way of life. Look at Canada with the protests of the truckers, bank accounts were frozen just because they went against the government that they elected. This will be the norm. You disagree with your government which is your right, the consequence then is that you cannot feed your family.
Judge for yourself the times we live in and ask yourself this question. Are we heading towards a period that physical money will be done away with, and if the answer is yes, then what are the options that will be mandated in terms on how we will spend money? Just know that the option that will be enforced will make it extremely easy to “cut you off” should you disagree with your government.
A person wrote about this 1,900 years ago. What did this person have to say about this event that will happen? And what are the outcomes on the decisions we make, should we agree or not agree? And what will be the sanctions that will be enforced against us all should we rebel?
Ramses Bislick
We, the Heads of State and Government of the Caribbean Community strongly condemn the military attacks and invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation and call for an immediate ceasefire, an end to all acts of aggression, and the urgent withdrawal of Russian military forces in Ukraine. Any concerns the Russian Federation may have must be resolved diplomatically and not through warfare.
We reaffirm the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and call for respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.
We call on all parties involved to urgently intensify diplomatic dialogue, to immediately de-escalate hostilities and work towards sustainable peace.
The invasion of Ukraine is causing untold loss and destruction of life and property for the civilian population of Ukraine, including women and children, in violation of international humanitarian law, and has caused a growing humanitarian crisis.
We express appreciation to the governments and people of neighbouring countries who are extending humanitarian services to refugees fleeing Ukraine. We are particularly concerned about the plight of and discrimination against non-European nationals and call for the guarantee of the safety and security of nationals of the Caribbean, Latin America and Africa, and from those countries that are seeking to leave Ukraine. In this regard, we underscore the importance of respect for human rights and the human dignity of persons in keeping with international commitments.
We reiterate that the principles of respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-interference in the internal affairs of another sovereign state, the prohibition on the threat or use of force, and the peaceful resolution of all disputes must be adhered to by all nations.
CARICOM Heads of Government
Dear Editor,
We are grateful to once more celebrate International Women’s Day 2022. It took a courageous woman named Clara Zetkin who started a protest movement in 1908 fighting for shorter working hours, better pay, and the right for women to vote. The rest is history (her-story).
Nineteen-ten (1910) was the year International Women’s Day became an internationally recognized event because of her stance and determination to make a ground-breaking difference in her life as well as that of other women across the globe. Today the world continues to commemorate the advancement made for and by women including at the social, economic, financial, scientific, religious and political levels.
This past century barriers have been broken, obstacles removed that made it harder for women to achieve their full potential in most countries in the world. Great advancements are made in the areas noted above. Yet a lot more remains to be done to keep gains made while removing biases at all levels of society. For example, too many women are still underpaid, overworked and exploited. St. Maarten is no exception. Take a closer look around you!
Please take note that International Women’s Day, March 8, 2022, will be celebrated on Friday, March 11, at John Larmonie Center in Philipsburg. The program opens at 7:30pm and includes two guest speakers as announced in a previous release issued by Peridot Foundation.
Our first guest speaker will be Ms. Lysanne Charles, a strong woman who has taken the lead in breaking stereotyping barriers at an early stage of her life. Ms. Charles is also co-founder of the regional organization Eastern Caribbean Alliance for diversity and Equality ((ECADE).
We are also pleased to announce our second presentation by well-known attorney at law Brenda Brooks. No stranger to facing and overcoming personal adversity, attorney Brooks fights to do justice for especially the marginalized and those discriminated against because of their social standing in society. A more extensive biography of her achievements will be shared on Friday, March 11, upcoming. We look forward to hearing her views on this year’s theme for International Women’s Day: #BreaktheBias.
Our programme is highlighted with performances by talented students of Charlotte Brookson Academy of the Performance Arts. Three students will perform the St. Maarten song, while two other students will marvel our audiences with their stellar dance and song renditions.
Some attending guests will be surprised with a gift to commemorate the occasion of IWD 22.
The colour purple is chosen this year by the International Community of Organizations in celebration of International Women’s DAY22. Peridot Foundation shows solidarity with the world as we join in sharing the symbol with crossed arms in front of our chests to highlight the movement of #BreaktheBias.
Being a trail-blazer starts with you! Happy International Women’s Day 2022.
Gracita Arrindell
Dear Editor,
When tourism first started in St. Maarten in the 60s, it led to many people learning the skills associated with hospitality at institutions like Mullet Bay. It is not unreasonable to conclude that many people learnt fast and that St. Maarten quickly became known for its ability to attract and provide service to guests.
Most guests were hotel guests and looked for good accommodation, good food and the welcoming and entertaining hospitality that St. Maarteners quickly became adept at.
Fast forward to the 1980s when a new type of guest also began to arrive. They came by yacht. They were also looking for services but only some of the services were the same as the regular hotel guest. Besides food and drink they also wanted their engines repaired, sails repaired, cushions recovered, their boats painted, dockage, hauling, anchoring, etc.
These were many more demands than those of hotel guests and some of the demands were and remain difficult and complicated.
This same scenario has repeated itself throughout the Caribbean. The demands were also relatively inconsistent and varied so that skills needed to be constantly adapted and often required efficient logistics and handling.
In short the yachting (or marine) industry presented to St. Maarten and other islands a diversification opportunity that was real and profitable but more complicated than regular stayover tourism.
Different territories in the Caribbean are grasping the opportunity differently and some enjoy particular advantages. Which territories will be baffled by the complexity and lose the opportunity and which territories will grasp it and benefit from the diversification possibility?
Robbie Ferron
Dear Editor,
Reading the message from MP George Pantophlet in respect of the fact that the Dutch can afford to cancel Sint Maarten’s debt makes me realise that we have lost our ability to live like adults and take responsibility for our own actions.
Just because the Dutch can afford to write off the debt, it makes no sense at all for them to do that. We are sitting on an island the size of a small town where politicians earn on average a salary far above any other politician in the world.
Also, most state-owned companies on the island are filled with individuals on multiple boards who earn way above the norm, hence the fact that a profit for the country is seldom realised. None of these individuals are prepared to sacrifice towards the good of our island but the Dutch must do so because they can afford it? It is like saying to the bank, absolve me from my debt because you can afford it!
The amount of residents paying tax on the island sits at a poor 35 per cent because we feel it is always somebody else’s responsibility. If we don’t contribute towards the island’s economy what can we expect to achieve?
As a child I wanted an item that I could not pay for and I asked my dad for help. He looked at me and said: you have a pair of hands, use them! So, I washed dishes in a restaurant over weekends and delivered newspapers morning and night and eventually I managed to buy what I desired. The feeling of having achieved that made me proud and I think we as St. Maarteners need to be prepared to sacrifice and work hard to achieve our goals instead of holding out our hands like beggars.
We can do anything, but have to put our mind to it. We have to learn to behave independently and self-sufficiently, but this can only be achieved through hard work and discipline.
Rene Lammerse
